Apparatus and methods for combining beverage containers and snack food hanging pouches

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for manufacturing snack food hanging pouches, and for combining beverage containers and snack food hanging pouches, are disclosed. A combined beverage and snack food package according to the invention can include a beverage container and a snack food hanging pouch that is suspended from the protrusion of the beverage container. A snack food hanging pouch according to the invention can include a pouch portion that is adapted to contain a snack food item, and a hanger portion that is attached to the pouch portion, having a hanging hole that is adapted to fit onto the protrusion of a beverage container. The pouch portion can be adapted to contain a loose snack food item or a packaged snack food item.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A snack food hanging pouch, comprising: 
 a pouch portion that is adapted to contain a snack food item; and    a hanger portion that is attached to the pouch portion, said hanger portion having a hanging hole that is adapted to fit onto a protrusion of a beverage container.    
     
     
         2 . The snack food hanging pouch of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a first seal formed proximate a first end of the pouch portion.    
     
     
         3 . The snack food hanging pouch of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a second seal formed proximate a second end of the pouch portion to contain the snack food item between the first seal and the second seal.    
     
     
         4 . The snack food hanging pouch of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a reinforcement seal formed around at least a portion of the hanging hole.    
     
     
         5 . The snack food hanging pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the pouch portion is adapted to contain a loose snack food item.  
     
     
         6 . The snack food hanging pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the pouch portion is adapted to contain a packaged snack food item.  
     
     
         7 . The snack food hanging pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the beverage container is a bottle, and the protrusion is a neck of the bottle.  
     
     
         8 . The snack food hanging pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the beverage container is a two-liter bottle, and the protrusion is a neck of the two-liter bottle.  
     
     
         9 . The snack food hanging pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the pouch portion is made of a polymeric material.  
     
     
         10 . The snack food hanging pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the pouch portion is made of a transparent polymeric material.  
     
     
         11 . The snack food hanging pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the snack food hanging pouch is formed from a tubular sheet of polymeric material.  
     
     
         12 . The snack food hanging pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the pouch portion is integral with the hanger portion.  
     
     
         13 . The snack food hanging pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the hanger portion has a hanger portion perimeter that is generally semi-circular.  
     
     
         14 . The snack food hanging pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the hanger portion has a hanger portion perimeter that is generally rectangular.  
     
     
         15 . The snack food hanging pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the hanger portion has a hanger portion perimeter that is generally triangular.  
     
     
         16 . The snack food hanging pouch of  claim 15 , wherein the hanger portion has a generally rounded end.  
     
     
         17 . The snack food hanging pouch of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a reinforcement seal formed proximate at least a portion of a perimeter of the hanger portion.    
     
     
         18 . A combined beverage and snack food package, comprising: 
 a beverage container having a protrusion; and    a snack food hanging pouch that contains a snack food item,    wherein the snack food hanging pouch is suspended from the protrusion of the beverage container.    
     
     
         19 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein: 
 the snack food hanging pouch includes a hanging hole via which the snack food hanging pouch is suspended from the protrusion of the beverage container.    
     
     
         20 . The package of  claim 19 , wherein: 
 the snack food hanging pouch comprises a hanger portion; and    the hanging hole is disposed within the hanger portion of the snack food hanging pouch.    
     
     
         21 . The package of  claim 20 , wherein: 
 the snack food hanging pouch further comprises a pouch portion that is attached to the hanger portion; and    the pouch portion of the bottle hanger contains the snack food item.    
     
     
         22 . The package of  claim 21 , wherein: 
 the snack food hanging pouch further comprises a first seal formed proximate a first end of the pouch portion.    
     
     
         23 . The package of  claim 22 , wherein: 
 the snack food hanging pouch further comprises a second seal formed proximate a second end of the pouch portion; and    the snack food item is contained between the first seal and the second seal.    
     
     
         24 . The package of  claim 20 , wherein: 
 the snack food hanging pouch further comprises a reinforcement seal formed around at least a portion of the hanging hole.    
     
     
         25 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein: 
 the snack food is a loose snack food item.    
     
     
         26 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein: 
 the snack food is a packaged snack food item.    
     
     
         27 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein: 
 the beverage container is a bottle, and the protrusion is a neck of the bottle.    
     
     
         28 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein: 
 the beverage container is a two-liter bottle, and the protrusion is a neck of the two-liter bottle.    
     
     
         29 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein: 
 the snack food hanging pouch is made of a polymeric material.    
     
     
         30 . The package of  claim 21 , wherein: 
 the pouch portion of the snack food hanging pouch is made of a polymeric material.    
     
     
         31 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein: 
 the snack food hanging pouch is made of a transparent polymeric material.    
     
     
         32 . The package of  claim 21 , wherein: 
 the pouch portion of the snack food hanging pouch is made of a transparent polymeric material.    
     
     
         33 . The package of  claim 18 , wherein: 
 the snack food hanging pouch is formed from a tubular sheet of polymeric material.    
     
     
         34 . The package of  claim 21 , wherein: 
 the pouch portion of the snack food hanging pouch is integral with the hanger portion thereof.    
     
     
         35 . The package of  claim 20 , wherein: 
 the hanger portion of the snack food hanging pouch has a hanger portion perimeter that is generally semi-circular.    
     
     
         36 . The package of  claim 20 , wherein: 
 the hanger portion of the snack food hanging pouch has a hanger portion perimeter that is generally rectangular.    
     
     
         37 . The package of  claim 20 , wherein: 
 the hanger portion of the snack food hanging pouch has a hanger portion perimeter that is generally triangular.    
     
     
         38 . The package of  claim 37 , wherein: 
 the hanger portion of the snack food hanging pouch has a generally rounded end.    
     
     
         39 . The package of  claim 20 , wherein: 
 the snack food hanging pouch comprises a reinforcement seal formed proximate at least a portion of a perimeter of the hanger portion thereof.    
     
     
         40 . A method for manufacturing a snack food hanging pouch, the method comprising: 
 providing a tubular sheet of packaging material, the tubular sheet having a longitudinal axis;    forming a first seal across the tubular sheet, transverse to the longitudinal axis;    inserting a snack food item into the tubular sheet proximate the first seal;    forming a second seal across the tubular sheet, transverse to the longitudinal axis, such that the snack food item is contained between the first seal and the second seal, the first seal and the second seal defining a pouch portion of the snack food hanging pouch;    severing the tubular sheet, transverse to the longitudinal axis, proximate the first seal to form a first end of the snack food hanging pouch; and    forming a hanger portion of the snack food hanging pouch proximate the second seal, the hanger portion having a hanging hole via which the snack food hanging pouch can be suspended from a protrusion of a beverage container.    
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising: 
 forming the tubular sheet of packaging material from a flat sheet of packaging material.    
     
     
         42 . A method for manufacturing a snack food hanging pouch, the method comprising: 
 forming a pouch portion of the snack food hanging pouch, the pouch portion containing a snack food item; and    forming a hanger portion of the snack food hanging pouch, wherein the hanger portion is attached to the pouch portion and has a hanging hole that is adapted to fit onto a protrusion of a beverage container.    
     
     
         43 . A method for manufacturing a combined beverage and snack food package, the method comprising: 
 providing a beverage container having a protrusion;    providing a snack food hanging pouch that contains a snack food item; and    suspending the snack food hanging pouch from the protrusion of the beverage container.    
     
     
         44 . Apparatus for manufacturing a snack food hanging pouch, the apparatus comprising: 
 a delivery hopper that delivers a snack food item into a tubular pouch material; and    a pouch forming assembly that severs a snack food hanging pouch from the tubular pouch material, wherein the snack food hanging pouch contains the snack food item and has a hanging hole via which the snack food hanging pouch can be suspended from a protrusion of a beverage container.    
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 44 , further comprising: 
 a former that wraps a sheet of pouch material film about a longitudinal axis to form the tubular pouch material.    
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 44 , wherein the pouch forming assembly comprises a pair of opposing sealer/stripper heads that seal and sever the pouch material to form the snack food hanging pouch.  
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein at least one of the sealer/stripper heads includes a first seal former that forms a first seal and a second seal former that forms a second seal such that the snack food item is contained between the first seal and the second seal.  
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein at least one of the sealer/stripper heads includes a first cutter that strips the snack food hanging pouch away from the tubular pouch material.  
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein at least one of the sealer/stripper heads includes a hole cutter that forms the hanging hole.  
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein at least one of the sealer/stripper heads includes a hole sealer that forms a reinforcement seal around at least a portion of the hanging hole.  
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein at least one of the sealer/stripper heads includes a perimeter sealer that forms a closure seal along at least a portion of a perimeter of the hanging pouch.  
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the snack food hanging pouch includes a hanger portion, and at least one of the sealer/stripper heads includes a perimeter cutter that cuts the tubular pouch material to form a perimeter of the hanger portion.  
     
     
         53 . A combined beverage and snack food package, comprising: 
 a beverage container having a protrusion; and    a snack food hanging pouch that is adapted to contain a snack food item,    wherein the snack food hanging pouch is suspended from the beverage container protrusion.    
     
     
         54 . The combined beverage and snack food package of  claim 53 , wherein the snack food hanging pouch includes: 
 a pouch portion that is adapted to contain the snack food item; and    a hanger portion having a hanging hole adapted to fit onto the beverage container protrusion.